Description

Purpose:
The Assistant Program Director is responsible for inpatient program development and evaluation of treatment strategies for the Dual Diagnosis unit as a whole and individuals and families as needed. In addition, this individual takes an active role in behavioral supervision, education, and development of the direct care staff's skills to provide effective behavioral and cognitive treatment. The Assistant Program Director reports to Program Director for Clinical and administrative supervision.

Dual Diagnosis is an Adult Drug Abuse and Psychiatric Treatment Unit consisting of a 26-bed inpatient service. The focus is on treating adults with a primary psychiatric disorder and co-occurring chemical dependency problem.  This position offers the opportunity to work with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. There is a wide variety of responsibilities and areas of opportunity including direct clinical work, provision of supervision, training/education, etc. 

Responsibilities:

• Specify factors or standards that will be used in measuring and appraising the performance for this position.
• Completes the responsibilities of the position accurately and efficiently.
• Demonstrates extensive knowledge and understanding of the symptomatic display of behavioral dysfunction accompanying DSM-IV disorders of the child /adolescent and Intellectual Disabilities population.
• Demonstrates an understanding of behavioral management principles and can formulate, implement, and evaluate behavioral treatment plans.
• Demonstrates the ability to provide behavioral supervision for the direct care staff.
• The employee in this position reports directly to the Program Director of the unit for clinical supervision and NCM for administrative supervision.
• The incumbent is responsible for the clinical supervision of the direct care staff on the implementation of behavioral strategies and cognitive management techniques.
• Incumbent will provide feedback to the NCM and ANCM's concerning direct care staff's ability to implement these techniques accurately and appropriately.
• Develops and coordinates individual behavior and group therapies, provides supervision to milieu therapists.
• Participates in diagnostic, discharge, treatment evaluation and other conference on an as needed basis. May assume clinical care responsibilities as needed.
• Provides individual patient assessments, develops special treatment plans, and coordinates the implementation of the plan. Evaluates effectiveness and reports to the multidisciplinary treatment team.
• Participates in specific program leadership meetings and coordinates the implementation of administrative, clinical, training, and educational decisions in the daily functioning of the program.
• Demonstrates and has advanced knowledge of structured clinical assessment tools including specific measures of psychiatric symptomatology, functional behavior assessments, family functioning, and academic achievement within ability to communicate results of evaluations to families and referral agencies/professionals.
• Assumes routine administrative responsibilities as indicated, and assists in the development and implementation of the hospital and unit policies and procedures
• Maintains relevant case records, departmental statistics, and direct clinical contact commensurate with caseload.
• Demonstrates the ability to communicate both verbally and written with a multidisciplinary staff.
• Attends unit meetings, actively participates in identification of areas for improvement and works in collaboration with the unit leadership to implement programmatic revisions.
• Participates with the nursing management in evaluating patient satisfaction and assists in developing and implementing recommended actions.
• Assumes other responsibilities as directed.
• Develops, conducts, and evaluates staff education and training in the area of therapeutic communications, interactions and consumer satisfaction.
• Provides role modeling and feedback to the direct care staff on behavioral management and cognitive techniques.
• Develops, implements, evaluates, and revises the milieu management program in collaboration with the unit leadership and direct supervision.
• Coordinates behavior management training for parents and families. Assigns cases to the milieu therapists and monitor’s progress.
• Coordinate, consult and collaborate with the outpatient treatment team and the multidisciplinary treatment team to provide follow through of the behavioral management treatment plan. This includes schools, wrap-around services, partial programs, RTFs, mobile crisis, and any other applicable outpatient services.

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a Doctorate Program (e.g., PhD, PsyD, EdD) in Psychology, School Psychology, Education, or a related field

OR

• has a Master’s Degree in Psychology, School Psychology, Education, or a related field with three years’ experience in behavioral health.
• Proven leadership skills and an ability to work with patients and their families and to work collaboratively with other staff members specifically demonstrating communication, coordination, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of evidence-based therapies.
• Previous experience in acute clinical settings preferred.
• Experience with crisis management preferred.
• Experience with substance abuse preferred.
• Ability to work independently, set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in basic behavioral principles, development of behavior support plans, and the application of behavioral principles to clinical situations.

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCMC)
• Act 31 Child Abuse Reporting with renewal
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran

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